Propaganda

Propaganda is a powerful and dangerous tool that may influence a person’s view concerning certain events. Unfortunately, the world is full of propaganda, and people have to face it almost every day. Sometimes, propaganda is obvious, while in other cases, a person barely notices it. Certain groups of people seem to perceive propaganda easier, because they do not wish to look for truth – they would like someone to tell it to them. Not to become a victim of propaganda, each person should know what it looks like.

The Institute for Propaganda Analysis proposes to divide propaganda into two categories, a good and a bad one. The analysis points out that propaganda not only has an impact on a person’s thoughts, but also can make a person do something. As a result, propaganda may turn into a weapon against a huge number of people. The analysis presents seven devices, the purpose of which is to influence people’s minds and deeds.

 According to the article “How to Detect Propaganda”, these devices catch the moment when people have no desire to realize that someone wants to make them think in a certain way. As a result, instead of analyzing, they believe everything they see or hear. The propaganda works because of a particular usage of words. A propagandist may make people think that someone or something is almost divine and deserves worshiping, and vice versa that someone or something is so awful that it deserves only destruction. Sometimes, propaganda contains not a single word of truth by presenting false facts. It may make a person lose his or her individuality and do the things that others do. Propagandists use people’s emotions to get into their minds.

While the Institute for Propaganda Analysis describes all types of propaganda, Lutz observes the power of words in detail. Lutz states that there is such concept as doublespeak and divides this concept into four categories: euphemism, jargon, gobbledygook, and inflated language. By explaining these categories, Lutz points out that it is possible to use each of them to hide the truth, which is peculiar to propaganda. If to compare “How to Detect Propaganda” with Lutz’s article, it is possible to use inflated language to make people worship someone ordinary. Thus, it is possible to state that the two articles complement each other. Both authors agree that somebody creates these tools for a certain purpose, to be more exact, for one’s own benefit. In both articles, there is a hint that the government uses these tools to control people.

Orwell, as well as two other authors, connects language with critical thinking and politics. Orwell, as well as Lutz, provides examples to support his opinion. While Lutz presents certain phrases, Orwell cites the whole passages to illustrate what he means. Orwell states that political writing is full of vagueness. If to connect this statement with the information from “How to Detect Propaganda”, it is possible to make a conclusion that political writing contains propaganda. Orwell, as well as Lutz, discusses various figures of speech that may be in service to propagandists. Orwell devotes much space to discussing how politicians use propaganda, while Lutz’s article covers not only politics, but business sphere as well.

To sum up, these three articles discuss such concept as propaganda and state name the tools someone may use to receive a desirable effect. In “How to Detect Propaganda”, the author analyzes all possible means of influencing people, while other two articles observe the impact of language and specific words on people. Thus, “How to Detect Propaganda” is more generalized, while “Politics and the English Language” and “Doubts about Doublespeak” discuss one particular aspect of the propaganda.